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Originally Posted by Zmonkay Wait, that's an official Hasbro release?

He was a Target exclusive in 2009, so maybe that's why you missed him? He was Leo Prime there, based on the Beast Wars II character but used the Cybertron mold. That paint scheme though is custom; the official release is almost stark white with bits of colors here and there.

I got one a few months ago for $8 or so I think; Target had them on clearance on their website. You can get him for $15 - $20 new on eBay so he's not too expensive.

I really hope not, but it doesn't look good. Like you said, it's clearanced all over the place, and they haven't announced / released any new ones since the initial line launch :(

Yea, I've scoured for any sort of information and I found nothing. It would have been nice if they expanded into other properties, like a Cobra Commander Kre-O haha.

Prime Arcee and Starscream are up NOW at HTS!

http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/transfo...R=496&ID=29410 -- Arcee

http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/transfo...R=496&ID=29409 - Starscream

Just got both! Came to $10.25 a figure after tax.

Use code FNF20FS for 20% off and shipping is free!

It feels so good to not have to rely on TRU. They can take their $14 a figure and shove it. Now the wait for Cliffjumper begins.

Originally Posted by animalspinners Prime Arcee and Starscream are up NOW at HTS! http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/transfo...R=496&ID=29410 -- Arcee http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/transfo...R=496&ID=29409 - Starscream Just got both! Came to $10.25 a figure after tax. Use code FNF20FS for 20% off and shipping is free! It feels so good to not have to rely on TRU. They can take their $14 a figure and shove it. Now the wait for Cliffjumper begins.

Nice, real nice. I get charged $20 shipping to Hawaii from Hasbro, but I shipped it to my sister in Cali. Can't beat $10+ for these. You order from HTS before? I assume we're not getting high grade packaging here...but that's ok. I might drop for the Japanese versions to collect instead

Originally Posted by animalspinners I find BBTS's prices to be a little bit better, actually, with much better sales and clearances. Plus, BBTS has the Pile of Loot feature, allowing you to save on shipping. BBTS customer service, in my opinion, is way better than TFSource as well having used both. Both stores price high on some stuff but that is due to them trying to make their cash back on crappy case ratios, so I just grab those figures off HTS. Its still unsure whether it was the company who process their credit cards, someone who works there, or what, but there were plenty of people on TFW who had only used their card at TFSource (like myself, who had a new card) and got the card information stolen. TFSource gave a halfass answer to the whole thing, same as they did the first time they got hacked, so I just keep my business at BBTS who, to my knowledge, has never had such problems. The entertainment pack Prime is a deluxe. For all intents and purposes, its the same figure that was sold during SDCC. I think the retail one has some slight coloring differences. Is Kre-O cancelled or something? I've only got the Megatron one and I enjoyed it, but it seems every store is clearancing them out and Hasbro has pretty much stopped talking about the line after all the hype they put into it. Kind of a shame to see it go.

Thanks for the feedback. I liked that TFSource gave me free shipping once my order was over $150. Living here really hampers me with these purchases sometimes

So the entertainment pack is the only way to get Prime/Megatron deluxe then? Interesting. Might need to get that too then. Oh, my wallet hurts!

Yeah, I was thinking Kreo might be going the way of the dinosaur. Maybe they will re-do it and hire a brick designer that can make them actually transform. I've seen a lot of custom brickers who have pulled it off and some are VERY nice. But I can imagine the challenge involved in coming up with something like that. I would pay a premium for that though if it's executed properly.

Voyager Bulkhead

Pluses:

• Great, show accurate representation of character
• Robot is well proportioned with minimal kibble
• Lots of great details and paint
• You can put the mace on either arm; both have flip-out hands
• Transformation is elegant and the engineering is remarkable

Minuses

• Wheel rims are unpainted
• Slight amount of visible robot bits (but not really kibble) in vehicle mode

I was not wowed out of the box with Bulkhead. The transformation was a little rough going the first time and I did have to consult the instructions for one part.

That said, once I got it and it all clicked, it's pretty incredible. The transformation isn't difficult, but you have to know what to do with the codpiece (ahem). Everything is well pegged and tabbed and there are many nifty parts, with pieces folding over others or wrapped around others. It's an amazing bit of engineering.

The robot is terrific. There are some minor differences in the front and back from the show representation, but you also have some freedom in where you place things. You can go like the instructions have it and peg everything down, which leads to a few more panels in front. Or you can wrap them around Bulkhead's sides for a more show accurate look. There's very little kibble and you have multiple ways to position it.

Design-wise, it's not as sleek as Animated but it's better proportioned. Bulkhead's robot mode feels appropriately massive and is well scaled with the other figures. Paint apps are nice, colors and details are well thought out, and (shockingly) it mostly looks like the picture on the box. Again, it's a nice midway between Bayformers and Animated, and clearly the best of both.

Vehicle mode is also well proportioned. While there are lots of moving panels and tabs, it does eventually all come together, and there are no gaps like on Optimus or panel massaging necessary. Getting to vehicle mode the first time will probably be challenging (especially if, like me, you try to do it without instructions), but once you understand how everything moves and tabs together, it's not difficult and doesn't take an inordinate amount of time.

In fact, it's really quite something. There's a lot going on, but it's not frustrating. It's intricate, but it all makes sense. And there are lots of pieces that twist, turn, and fold, but it doesn't feel fragile.

Slight kibble in vehicle mode under the front bumper and the pelvic ball joints are visible on the undercarriage from the side. Not major, though, and there aren't any identifiable robot parts hanging off anywhere.

My only complaint would be the unpainted hubcaps, and it's glaring like it was on Optimus. Easily enough fixed, though. Show purists might miss that there's only one mace instead of two, and it's not much of a solution to buy another Bulkhead. Maybe it will get recolored.

No squishy plastic anywhere -- the mace is hefty and well painted.

Hasbro's doing a big disservice to everyone by only putting one of these per case. Get it if you can find it and hope Hasbro comes to its senses to make sure it's easily available.

good stuff blandstalker!

Wow blandstalker, another great review! Now I'm even more pissed these aren't in the US yet.

Picked up Prime Starscream at TRU tonight. Great great figure. So far this line is absolutely fantastic, and from blandstalker's reviews it's just getting started

hey Zmonkay. did you miss the post above about the Starscream and Arcee are in stock at HTS? Discount code and free shipping too!

Originally Posted by jbz Nice, real nice. I get charged $20 shipping to Hawaii from Hasbro, but I shipped it to my sister in Cali. Can't beat $10+ for these. You order from HTS before? I assume we're not getting high grade packaging here...but that's ok. I might drop for the Japanese versions to collect instead

I use HTS constantly; they ship fast, have great customer service and often have the best prices thanks to all the discount codes.

The only complaint is that they don't pack the boxes well -- I've had times, like when I just got DOTM Drag Strip, that they threw the figure in the box all by itself with no padding.

It doesn't bother me -- I'm not a MOC collector and I've never had anything come broken from HTS in two years of shopping there, but I have had cards come bent before. The packaging goes in the trash for me anyways unless its Takara or third party.

My only other complaint is that the store really sucks for Hasbro's other properties; I collect Marvel Universe and G.I Joe also and they either don't stock the new stuff at all, they stock it in such limited quantities you never get it or, in the case of G.I Joe, they make you buy a retail case to get new figs.

I'm still shocked they have Arcee and Starscream in stock actually, considering the prices of Arcee on eBay. Its really good to see HTS is going to stock a good amount of these.

Speaking of G.I Joe, I went to Wal-Mart as there have been at least five waves since the last time I went -- they still have figures from early 2010 on the pegs, along with DOTM Wave 1. Yay for distribution. I'm glad there was also a lot of stock when I was a kid, or I doubt I'd be a fan of anything Hasbro these days.

Originally Posted by jbz hey Zmonkay. did you miss the post above about the Starscream and Arcee are in stock at HTS? Discount code and free shipping too!

Thanks for the heads up. Hadn't checked CAG before I picked it up at TRU last night, but I had a 5.00 off coupon so it wasn't bad.

They're still in stock (along with Thunderwing's repaint, but sadly not junkheap). crazy.

I found junkheap at Target yesterday after walking all over the store. The generation series were on pegs in a different aisle than the transformers. I saw I think skyshadow but I think that is a repaint and left it because my son does not like repaints.

Picked up Junkheap at Target. All done with Transformers until Wheeljack and Soundwave are released

Which Wheeljack/Soundwave? Prime series?

Originally Posted by Zmonkay Wow blandstalker, another great review! Now I'm even more pissed these aren't in the US yet. Picked up Prime Starscream at TRU tonight. Great great figure. So far this line is absolutely fantastic, and from blandstalker's reviews it's just getting started

From what i'm reading, you are right, this line is awesome. I watch the show with my kids and there's a ton of potential. Knock Out, Arachnid and Breakdown could be fantastic figs if they do it right.

I like Decepticons so I'm crossing my fingers

Originally Posted by jbz Which Wheeljack/Soundwave? Prime series?

DOTM... it should be the final wave before it rolls over into Movie Trilogy, they are both deluxes. There is also a human alliance Soundwave too I think.

They were supposed to be out in December but I don't think they made it in the US. I've seen packaged pics from Takara, though.

I finally finished up with TFs myself -- my gf went a few towns over outside of the range of the scalper in my area and scored Guzzle, the last guy I was missing. He is awesome. Picked up a Flak too for the hell of it. Prime Bumblebee showed up today too! Glad I got Arcee and Starscream through HTS, as there was not one of them to be found in my TRU. Barely any Bumblebees as well.

And to everyone else: Sky Shadow isn't a repaint, he's a retool -- he has a new head and a different chest. Not sure why Hasbro changed the name (licensing issues?) but he is Black Shadow from TF: Victory, so that alone made him worth getting for me as it's rare we get anything that isn't from a Hasbro cartoon or comic series. If you're passing on him due to having Thunderwing, imo you're really missing out.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Black_Shadow

I mean, look at him! He's a space gangster and in IDW continuity, he is one of the strongest Decepticons there is. Black Shadow is awesome.

Sold. What are your thoughts on Thunderwing? I'll prob grab both from HTS

oh! that is interesting about sky shadow, just what I need another reason to buy another transformer. Maybe I will pick him up next time I see him, we don't even have a thunderwing anyway.-don't go telling me I need to get him also. LOL

Originally Posted by jbz Sold. What are your thoughts on Thunderwing? I'll prob grab both from HTS

I actually don't have Thunderwing on-hand (hes been in my BBTS Pile of Loot since January... I really have to ship it one of these days), but the mold used for Black Shadow is pretty good. Transformation is pretty simple but it doesn't deter from the character imo, and he looks pretty close to his look in the G1 comics.

He was a pretty big player in the old comics, being one of the only Decepticons to wield the matrix. My only real complaint about Sky Shadow, and it probably carries over to Thunderwing, is that they are both a tiny bit shorter than your average deluxe.

On both figures, the front of the plane comes off to simulate the "inner robot", as both Thunderwing and Black Shadow were pretenders / crossformers; on the Generations figures there is no mention of the inner robot though, its just called a "recon drone" but its still a nice touch. Each comes with two guns which can combine to make one large gun -- this is to simulate Thunderwing's big cannon in the comics.

For 20% off and free shipping on HTS, its worth it imo to get both... I really dig Sky Shadow and I can't imagine not liking Thunderwing as they are practically the same except for the head and chest.

I think if you only wanted one use of the mold I would go for Sky Shadow, but both characters are pretty important to Transformers mythos so its worth having both not to mention they aren't simple repaints of each other.

Back in the day, Black Shadow was a redeco of Thunderwing as well so its pretty cool that history repeats itself here -- its not like Hasbro / Takara are shoving a character onto a mold that doesn't fit, like Cyclonus and Strafe (this one is just an abomination, imo.)

Sometimes for me, the mythos behind a character makes him worth having in my collection, and Thunderwing / Black Shadow are examples of that. Black (Sky) Shadow has been on my desk for a few days now and he's fun to mess around with -- he definitely grows on you.

Wow, cool stuff about Black Shadow. I'd never heard even heard of him. Really gotta read the older Marvel (both US and UK) comics some day.

So I've been thinking, is 2012 gonna be the year we see new dinobots figs? High moon studios worked in conjunction with Hasbro for WFC. And it seems the dinobots play a major role in FOC story line. Seems like a good choice for new figs?